Unseaming and thread-winding apparatus for textile mills



Nov. 2, 1943. A. ANDREOTTU UNSEAMING AND THREAD-WINDING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Dec. 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F: E, l,

INVENI'OR.

AT Ta i/V3571 Nov. 2, 1943. ANDREOTTO 2,333,613

UNSEAMING AND THREAD-WINDING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Dec. 16,-1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 6 FIE-2- J5 4.6

INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 rnvsnmvrnvc. AIND THREAD-WINDING APPA- r I IRATUS FOR TEXTILE MILLS Angelo Andreotto, Clifton, N. J assignor to Botany Worsted Mills, Passaic, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application December 16, 1942, Serial No. 469,238

' 2 Claims.

' r The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for unseaming and-recovering the seaming thread fromtextile lengths which had been longitudinally folded upon themselves and seamed down at one margin preparatory to certain finishing operations, and whilst the fabric lengths are moving toward a further stage of finishing. For example, lengths of woven woolen fabric leaving the looms are subjected to soaping and pulling operations preparatory to washin with caustic solution, and in orderto protect the face of each fabric piece the latter is longitudinally folded upon. itself so that the back lies outermost and the abutting margins are seamed down with a chainstitch, which seam remains until the fabric piece leaves the soaping and pulling stages, the seam being removed prior to the next stage of treatment. This unseaming step has generally been effected by hand,

By means of the present invention the seamed fabric length is subjected to automatic unseaming and thread winding steps as it moves through straightening and wash-delivery apparatus, the construction being such'that upon breakage of the thread the fabric feeding means is instantly stopped through the action of elements associated with the unseaming and thread-winding -elements;

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, and illustrating the relation of the moving piece of fabric to the unseaming elements and fabric feed and straightening mechanism.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation, partly broken away, illustrating the unseaming and threadwinding elements with the switch control, the latter being shown in the position it assumes upon breaking of the thread.

Figure 3 is a detailed plan View of the upper thread guide and switch-throwing shaft-mounted eccentric.

Figure 4 is. a view in elevation, partly. broken away, showing the position of the thread guide, switch-operating elements and switch in the position of the latter during active unseaming and thread-winding operation.

Figure 5 is a front elevation, showing an intermediate portion of the supporting standard and also the thread-Winder .and driving elements therefor.

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to thedrawings, I have shown in Figure 1, by a somewhat diagrammatic view, the manner in which the seamed fabric piece is led to the feeding and straightening apparatus in advance of which is positioned the unseaming element. The seamed fabric piece indicated at I may be led upwardly through an aperture at 2 in a board 3 which may be suspended by a hanger (ores-17) 4 from the upper portion of themill room, The

aperture 2 will be of such size as to exert a slight braking action on the fabric a it passes to the straightening and feeding mechanism, and the 5 board 3 may be positioned at approximately the height of the straightening and feeding rolls.

The fabric seam is indicated at 5 and the thread pulled from the seam is indicated at 6. The unseamed fabric piece is led into association with 10 twov straightening rolls such as those hown at 1 and 8. The fabric may be led under either one of the rolls and over the second roll, and, as illustrated, the fabric is led under roll- 1 and over roll 8. The first roll may be formed with shallow flutes 9st or a single spiral fluting angularly directed toward one end of the roll, and the second r011 may be provided with similar flutes or a continuous fluting angularly directed opposite to the flute or flutes of the first roll. This fluting serves, to straighten out the fabric piece and the straightened piece passes over a guide roll vq,

which may be driven, if desired, and to further processing. r

The rolls are inter-geared and to the shaft of one roll is fixed a pulley l0 driven by abelt II from the pulley of a motor l2. This motor will,

in practice, be mounted on frame l3, its position as shown in Figure l of the drawings being for convenience ofillustration. To the motor shaft 123;. at its rear may be" applied a brake drum incated schematically in Figure 6 at M, the brake drum being associated with electrically controlled brake arm [5 as later to be described more in detai1.- In Figure 1 the brake housing is'indicatedat l5. ,J

As statedabove, the seam 5 is formed by a chain stitch and pull upon thethread will un-' seam it. The thread, asshown more particularly in Figures 2 and 4., may be led into association with a thread-guide l1, and through, the eye of a lever rod [8 carried by ring I9 fixed to a shaft 20., This shaft is supported in a horizontalsleeve 2| at the upper endof a bracket 22 carried by horizontal support 23 at the upper end of a standard'24.,, At one end of shaft 20 and flxedithereto is a; disk ,25 carrying an eccentrically. placed stud 25$ for a purpose later to bedes'cribed.

The thread Sis, in the embodiment-illustrated in thepdrawings, led under one of the two parallel arms of the thread-guide I1, and over the second ing 3Ix of a swing-arm 3| mountedon a shaft- 32 carried by standard 24.

For counter-balancing the gradually increas-v ing weight of thread, a spring 33 is shown as con? nected to swing-arm 3|, the upper end of the spring being carried by an adjusting screw 34 which passes through a bracket 35 on standard 24 and which is provided with a thumb nut 36' internally threaded to receive the threads of'the screw. Fixed to shaft 30 is a fiat-surfaced wheel 31 having slip-drive contact with drive wheel 38, the latter being carried by a-shaft 39 rotatable ma. bearing sleeve 40 providedby standard 24. At one end shaft 39 carries a pulley 4| driven by belt'42 from the drive pulley 43 of motor 44.

As stated above, the thread 6 engages the thread-guide l'l between the arms of thesame, and passes through the eye of a lever rod I8 carried by shaft 20 which, in turn, carries a disk 25 on which is eccentrically positioned a stud 25:2. Mounted upon the stud 25a: is a sleeve 459: at the upper end of a rod 45. This rod extends downwardly to a suitable guide aperture formed in horizontal. support 23 at the top ofstandard 24. Also carried by the standard is a switch box 46. Within the switch box is a'suitable switch member such as the mercury switch capsule 41.

The mercury switch capsule 41 is carried by an. arm 48 pivoted at 49 and having one end area extending through a slot in switch box 46. This exposed end of theswitch ,arm is apertured or forked to receive rod 45. In spaced relation on red are two shoulder members or blocks, namely an upper block 50 and a lower block 5!. Upon movement of rod 45 in opposite directions, these .blocks serve to rock switch arm in opposite directions and thereby close or break an electrical circuit by action of the mercurycapsule.

.A suitable electric circuit is shown in Figure 6,

the main positive line 52 leading to a hand-operated switch-device 53 by means of which the current to the capsule may be led or broken. From hand-operated switch device 53 a positive wire. 54 leads tothe capsule and from the capsule extends lead wire 54a: to motor 12, the return wire from the motor being indicated at 55 and it may, for convenience, lead to switch device '52 and thence to the ground. 7

Any suitable braking device for the straightening and feed rolls 1 and 8 and operable upon shutting off of the motor I2 may be provided. Generally it is desirable to apply the braking device to the shaft of the motor which drives the rolls. The specific braking device forms no part of the present inventiomand the form illustrated in Figure 6 is suggestive only. It is shown as consisting of opposed brake arms 45 pivoted at ISx and brought to braking position by a spring 58; These brake arms are released from braking position by a cam device'5'l operated by a solenoid 58 having an input wire connection 59 and return negative lead '60 as indicated in Figure 6. Thus when motor [2 is operating the solenoid is energized to hold the brake in released position and as soon as the current-to the motor is broken the action of the mercury switch neutralizes the solenoid and spring '58 applies the brake.

following manner: Referring to Figure 4, the thread 6 is shown in its position from being wound in by the thread-winder with a resistance at the seam of the fabric piece as'the seam thread is being pulled out from the fabric. This resistance is sufficient to enable the thread, under tension,to hold lever rod IS in such position I that eccentric stud 25, in turn, holds rod 45 in .down position so that its block 50 maintains mercury capsule carrying arm 48 in circuit closing position.

In practice, there will be a constant variation of tension in the thread and therefore a slight whipping back and forth of the lever rod I8, but this is insuflicient to effect the mercury' switch and it remains closed.

When the. thread breaks, the parts are automatically moved to the position of Figure 2 and the mercury switch breaks the circuit. to motor l2. This follows because there is applied to rod 4'5 a spring 6|, the lower end of the spring being connected to a bracket arm carried by the rod the upper end of the spring being carried by a screw 62 which passes through an aperture in a'bracket arm 63 and which receives an adjust- M25 ving thumb nuti64 by means of which the tension The mercury switch 41, 48,15 operated in the of the spring may be regulated. When the thread is taut and during the winding-in thereof in its unbroken-condition, the spring is, as shown in Figure, 4, maintained under tension, and when the thread is broken the said spring 6| acts to move rod 45 upwardly to the position of Figure 2 and in such movement block .5! swings capsulecarrying arm 48 to circuit-opening position.

If desired, feed to motor 44 may be via the lead-out wire 5442: of the mercury switch, as by a branch wire 54121:, Figure 2, and the return wire of the motor 44 indicated at 65 may be grounded.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by letters Patent, is as follows:

1. Inan unseamingfland thread-winding apparatus for textile mills, and in combination with means for moving a seamed length of fabric and including an electric motor drive therefor, of a thread-winder and means for rotating the same, an electric circuit leading to said motor, a standard carrying ,saidthread winder, a switch box mounted upon the standard, a switch in said box operable by means of a member projected exteriorly thereof, an endwise movable rod having spacedshoulders whereby movement of the rod in one direction will, by means of one shoulder move the switch to closed position, opposite movement causing the second shoulder to move the switch. to open position, .a springengaging said rod for normally holding the same in circuit opening position and means for holding the rod against the action of said spring by the tension of .a, thread intermediate the thread winding device and a seamed length of fabric, said thread constituting the thread of the seam, and said fabric being acted upon by said fabric moving means.

2. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the means for holding the rod in circuit closing position against the tension of the spring comprises a rotary member to which the {rod is eccentrically pivoted, a fixed thread guide, a. shaft carrying said rotary member and an eye projection carried by the shaft, the thread passing through the eye and into engagement with the thread guide.

.- ANGELO ANDREOTTO. 

